1. Field of the Invention
The field of the invention relates to oral protective and treatment devices, and more particularly to an apparatus including a mouthpiece and a storage container for use in the prevention of teeth gnashing or gritting, the formation and build-up of decay-causing film on the teeth, as well as preventing the generation of unpleasant mouth odors and tastes commonly described as "morning mouth".
2. Description of the Prior Art
Grinding or gnashing of the teeth is a surprisingly common occurrence during sleeping. Since it is done instinctively and subconsciously, it is almost impossible to control. Accordingly, no effective devices are presently known to prevent and overcome this problem. Further, build-up of decay-causing film on the teeth and the related production of undesirable morning breath odors and mouth tastes also occur during the average sleeping period of eight hours. In the past, the treatment for this condition was brushing and rinsing with a mouthwash prior to retiring for the night. While this treatment causes some reduction of film build-up and mouth odors and tastes, its effectiveness is time limited, i.e. not adequate to be effective for the entire sleeping period to virtually eliminate the undesirable film build-up and mouth odors and tastes.
Various oral protective and treatment devices have been utilized in the prior art. However, the uses for these devices are primarily related to blow protection in contact sports and in conjunction with testing devices for analyzing the composition of breath samples. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,457,916 to Wolicki sets forth a protective mouthpiece for use in contact sports. The mouthpiece has a U-shaped base member which is formed of a soft and flexible elastomeric material and is provided with a channel to receive the upper teeth. A self-setting elastomer filler may be placed in the channel to form a permanent dental impression therein which bonds to the base member.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,532,091 to Lerman discloses another mouthpiece for use in contact sports which is U-shaped and formed of elastomeric material and has a tubular body filled with a shock-absorbing fluid to protect the teeth. The fluid may be settable to provide a permanent record of the relationship between upper and lower occlusal surfaces of the teeth at initial contact.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,880,591 to Burroughs illustrates a mouthpiece used in conjunction with a breath testing device. The mouthpiece includes two elements, one element being a cup-shaped element having a wide open end for receiving the mouth of the user, and the other element comprising a stem inserted in the opposite end of the cup and connectable to an inlet of a testing device. Both elements are constructed of polymeric material.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,292,978 to Guth illustrates another mouthpiece for use with a breath analyzing instrument comprising a hollow, dome-shaped housing formed of polymeric material and constructed in two parts which are permanently bonded together. A plurality of oppositely angled partitions are provided within the housing to direct the breath of a user along a serpentine path to remove any foreign matter, saliva, and/or water vapor from the breath prior to its entry into the analyzing instrument.
As such, it may be appreciated that there continues to be a need for a new and improved oral protective and treatment device in the form of a mouthpiece and storage container which addresses both the problems of ease of use, portability, and effectiveness in construction, and in this respect, the present invention fulfills this need.